L*'' 


TIB  RAHY  . 

OF  THE 
UN  IVLR'SI'f'Y 
Of    ILLINOIS 

630.7 
no.49-60 


AGRICULTURE 


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UNIVERSITY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

URBANA,  MARCH,   1899, 


BULLETIN  No.   54. 


SPRAYING  APPLE  TREES,  WITH  SPECIAL  REFERENCE  TO 

APPLE  SCAB  FUNGUS. 


About  eight  months  ago  the  Horticultural  Department  of  the  Illi- 
nois Experiment  Station  issued  a  bulletin  on  orchard  cultivation,  which 
closed  with  these  words:  "  .  .  .  .  while  other  things  have  greater  or  less 
effect  upon  an  orchard's  health  and  condition,  the  prime  requisite  to 
successful  orcharding  in  Illinois  is  thorough  and  systematic  cultivation." 
But  while  cultivation  is  the  prime  requisite,  it  is,  after  all,  but  one 
requisite,  albeit  the  chief;  for  besides  the  struggle  for  the  conservation 
of  moisture  in  his  orchard  during  drought,  the  orchardist  has  always 
with  him  the  struggle  against  the  insects  and  fungous  diseases  which 
prey  upon  his  trees  and  fruit.  The  object  of  the  present  bulletin,  then, 
is  to  assist  the  Illinois  fruit  grower  in  his  fight  against  these  active  ene- 
mies of  the  orchard,  and  to  point  out  to  him,  if  possible,  the  best  and 
most  effective  means  of  warfare. 

The  two  enemies  most  menacing  to  the  apple  growing  industry  of 
Illinois  are  the  apple  scab  fungus  and  the  codling-moth.  They,  in  turn, 
find  their  most  deadly  foes  in  Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris  green.  A 
little  investigation  will  readily  determine  whether  or  not  it  is  worth  while 
for  the  Illinois  apple  grower  to  invest  in  spraying  machinery  and  begin 
the  work  of  exterminating,  or  at  least  checking,  these  nuisances. 

181 


182  bulletin   no.    54.  [March, 

According  to   the    best    authorities  on  the  subject,   Illinois  has  a 
larger  apple  acreage  than  any  other  state  in  the  union.     According  to 
the  Census  report  for  1890  there  were  at  that  time  3,016  acres  of  one, 
two,  and  three  year  old  nursery  apple  trees  in  the  state,  or   1,000  acres 
more  than  New  York,  and  216  acres  more  than  Ohio,  the  second  largest, 
which  means  that  these  trees  are  today  ten,  eleven,  and  twelve  years 
old,  unless  destroyed.    About  ninety  per  cent,  of  the  trees  on  the  above 
3,0:6  acres  were  sold  for  planting  in  this  state.      Statistics  show,  too, 
that  the  number  of  acres  planted  to  apple  trees  has  yearly  increased 
since  that  time,  until  today,  according  to  the  statistics  compiled  by  the 
State  Horticultural  Society,  there  are  more  than  150,000  acres  devoted 
to  this  fruit  in  southern  Illinois  alone.      They  say,  to  quote  directly: 
"That  for  the  counties  of  Richland,  Clay,  Jasper  and  Marion  there  is  a 
total    of    70,000    acres,   with    50   trees  to  the  acre,   making  a  total  of 
3,500,000  trees.      At  ten  years  of  age  it  is  estimated  that  these  trees  will 
bear  an  average  of  ten  bushels  of  apples  to  the  tree,  making  a  total  for 
the  four  counties  of  11,700,000  barrels,  or  60,000  car  loads.     Think  of 
this!  2,000  train  loads  of  30  cars  each,  and  we  have  a  faint  idea  of  what 
the  future  for  Illinois  orchards  will  be."     Granting  that  ten  bushels  per 
tree  is  too  large  an  estimate,  the  fact  still  remains  that  there  should  be 
an  annual  production  in  these  counties  of  at  least  5,000,000  barrels.     Or 
again,  since  every  one  of  the  102  counties  of  the  state  has  a  very  con- 
siderable apple  acreage,  we  may  safely  reason  from  this  as  well  as  the 
above  and    other    estimates,   that  the    annual    production  of  the  state 
should  be  at  least  double  the  above   figures,  or   10,000,000  barrels  of 
apples.      But  the  fact  that  during  the  year  just   past  there  were  very 
much  less  than   1,000,000  barrels  of  apples  of  first  and  second  quality 
that  matured,  should  cause  each  and  every  land  owner  of  this  state  to 
reflect  seriously  on  the  causes  of  this  shortage. 

The  fact  is  that  most  apple  growers  have  not  given  sufficient  atten- 
tion to  the  several  principles  underlying  orcharding,  and  especially  that 
'  relating  to  spraying.      It  is  also  a  fact  that  although  Illinois  was  one  of 
the  pioneers  in  the  matter  of  combating  the  codling-moth  and  other 
apple  insects,  today  only  a  small  percentage  (perhaps  less  than  ten)  of 
our  apple  producers  take  any  precaution  whatever  to  check  the  ravages 
of  this  insect.      Not  only  this,  but  not  seven  per  cent,  of  the  apple  pro- 
ducers in  the  great  apple  region  of  Illinois  sprayed  their  trees   during 
the  past  year  for  their  protection  against  the  apple  scab  fungus.     Ac- 
cording to  the  observations  carried  on  at  this  Station  and  in  a  number 
of  private  orchards  in  the  state,  this  disease  is  responsible  for  the  loss 
of  at  least  $6,000,000,  or  sixty  per  cent,  of  the  total  loss  above  referred 
to,  to  the  apple  growers  of  Illinois  during  the  past  season.     This  esti- 
mate is  based  upon  the  supposition  that  apples  were  worth  one  dollar 
a  barrel. 


1899-]  SPRAYING    APPLE    TREES.  183 

At  the  outset,  then,  let  us  ask  if  this  disease  is   really   responsible 
for  this  enormous  failure;  and  if  so,  could  the  loss  have  been  averted? 
The  opinion  held  by  many  throughout  the  state  in  regard  to  the  cause 
of  the  failure  of  apple  orchards  during  the  season  of  1898  is  that  there 
was  imperfect,  or,  in  many  cases,  entire  lack  of  pollination,  due  to  the 
cold,  wet  weather  during  the  time  of  blooming.      That  this  was  not  true 
can  be  proved  by  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  most  apple  orchards 
did  set  a  considerable  quantity  of  fruit,  which,  however,  dropped  prema- 
turely   in    from    one    to  four    weeks  after  fertilization;    or,    again,    by 
noticing  the  fact  that  one  or  more  orchards  did  bear  fruit  and  that  of  a 
superior  quality  in  places  where  hundreds  in  the  same  localities   failed 
to  produce  any.      In  each  such  instance  that  has  come  under  our  notice, 
the  productive  orchards  were  the  only  sprayed  ones.     According  to  our 
observations  at  the  State  Experiment  Station  and  elsewhere,  the   true 
cause  of  the  premature  dropping  of  apples  during  the  season  of   1898, 
throughout  the  greater  portion  of  Illinois  at  least,  was  an  attack  of  apple 
scab  fungus  on  the  young  apple  and  along  its  stem,  thus  cutting  off  the 
food  supply  from  the  fruit.      If  there  had   been  no  fertilization   there 
would  have  been  no  development  of  the  ovary  whatever.      If  there  had 
been  imperfect  pollination,  the  fruit  would  have  been  one-sided  or  de- 
formed, as  a  result  of  the  failure  of  one  or  more  carpels  to  obtain  pollen. 
Each  apple  has  five  cells   called  carpels,    each   usually  containing   two 
seeds.      These  pairs  are  fertilized  by  pollen  which   falls  on  the  stigma 
attached  to  that  carpel.      If  it  chance  that  no  pollen  falls  on   a  certain 
stigma,  the  seeds  in  that  carpel  will  not  develop  and  the  apple  will  be 
one-sided.      But  a  careful  examination  failed  to  bring   to   light  fruit  of 
this  latter  character,  and  in  no  instance  did  an  examination  of  the  fallen 
fruit  show  non-presence  of  the  apple  scab  on  the  stem  and  fruit.      But, 
again,  if  lack  of  fertilization  was  the  cause  of  failure,  why  should  one 
or  more  orchards  out  of  a  hundred  or  more  in  any  particular  locality 
escape  the  fate  of  the  majority?     Surely   not  because   fertilization  had 
taken  place  in  but  one  orchard,    but  because  that  orchard  had   been 
systematically  sprayed  for  several  seasons,  and  had  received  judicious 
and  careful  cultivation,  which  enabled  the  tree  to  secure  the  necessary 
moisture  for  the  production  of  strong  fruit  buds. 

It  is  undoubtedly  true  that  no  one  cause  is  responsible  for  the  re- 
curring failure  of  apple  crops  in  this  state,  but  it  is  a  fact  that  the 
greatest  loss  is  sustained  as  a  result  of  the  two  above  named  enemies — 
the  apple  scab  fungus  and  the  codling-moth.  The  object  of  this  bulletin 
is  to  arouse  a  greater  interest  in  this  subject  among  the  mass  of  our 
Illinois  apple  producers.  It  has  been  said,  and  doubtless  rightly,  that 
the  fruit  grower  who  has  not  a  belief  in  spraying  and  the  results  ob- 
tained thereby,  has  only  himself  to  thank  for  lack  of  success.  The 
many    experiment    station  bulletins,    horticultural   society  reports  and 


Fig.  ] 

[,  p. 

191. 

».  ^ 

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Fig.  2,  p.  191. 


Fig-  3.  P-  I9i- 


1899-]  SPRAYING    APPLE    TREES.  185 

periodicals,  have  contributed  a  fund  of  information  bearing  on  this 
subject,  and  it  is  certainly  to  be  regretted  that  so  few  growers  have 
profited  thereby.  Those  who  have  failed  to  get  the  principles  of  spray- 
ing well  in  hand  during  the  development  of  the  subject,  often  do  not 
have  these  within  their  reach  when  the  fact  of  its  advantages  has  been 
finally  made  known  to  them.  Indeed,  there  is  at  the  present  time  a  very 
great  demand  for  elementary  information  in  regard  to  this  subject. 
During  the  past  three  months  the  Horticultural  Department  of  this 
Station  has  received  more  than  two  hundred  inquiries  for  light  regarding 
spraying  solutions  and  spraying  machinery.  It  is  because  of  the  evident 
demand  for  this  latter  class  of  information  that  the  section  on  spraying 
machinery  has  been  inserted. 

Specific  Directions. 

The  following  summary  of  points  to  be  remembered  in  spraying 
apple  trees  for  scab  and  codling-moth  are  the  best  that  can  be  given 
from  the  many  series  of  experiments  carried  on  at  this  Station  and  else- 
where. 

The  early  spraying  with  copper  sulphate  on  the  dormant  wood  is 
not  always  advisable,  since  the  application  must  often  be  made  when 
the  ground  is  so  soft  as  to  make  the  injury  done  by  trampling  greater 
than  any  benefit  received  from  the  spray. 

The  first  application  of  the  combined  solutions  of  Bordeaux  mixture 
and  Paris  green  made  just  before  the  flower  buds  open  is,  with  respect 
to  the  apple  scab  fungus,  the  most  important  spray  of  the  season. 

The  second  application  of  Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris  green,  made 
immediately  after  the  blossoms  fall  is,  with  respect  to  the  codling-moth, 
the  most  important;  yet  is  of  great  value,  too,  for  the  apple  scab  fungus. 
In  regard  to  this  point  Professor  Slingerland,  on  page  59,  bulletin  142  of 
the  Cornell  University  Experiment  Station,  says:  "The  important  thing 
for  the  fruit  grower  to  do  is  to  watch  the  blossoming  of  his  trees  and  the 
developing  of  the  young  fruit,  and  not  depend  on  anything  or  anybody 
else.  Simply  see  to  it  that  there  is  a  good  dose  of  poison  put  into  each 
blossom  end,  and  that  it  is  not  washed  out  by  rains  before  nature  gets  it 
protected  with  the  closed  calyx  lobes."  The  sooner  this  second  appli- 
cation can  be  made  after  the  blossoms  fall  the  greater  will  be  the  per- 
centage of  larvae  of  codling-moth  killed.  From  50  to  90  per  cent,  of 
fruit  that  would  otherwise  be  ruined  by  this  insect  can  be  saved  by 
spraying,  and  at  little  expense. 

A  third  application  of  Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris  green  should  be 
made  in  eight  or  ten  days  after  the  blossoms  have  fallen,  and  in  many 
instances  another  after  a  period  of  two  weeks. 


i86 


BULLETIN    NO.     54. 


[March, 


Fig.  4,  p.  191. 


F'g-  5-  P-   i95- 


i899] 


SPRAYING     \ITLE    TREKS. 


18? 


Fig.   6,   p.    195 


F'g    7.   P     195 


l88  BULLETIN    NO.     54.  [M(irc/l, 

Some  Spraying  Experiments. 

The  Illinois  Experiment  Station  has,  since  its  inception  in  1888, 
annually  carried  on  experiments  with  insecticides  and  fungicides  and 
their  use  for  controlling  fruit  enemies.  While  many  valuable  results 
have  been  obtained  from  time  to  time  as  a  consequence  of  these  syste- 
matic and  thorough  investigations,  they  were  in  most  instances  merely 
duplications  of  work  carried  on  and  published  by  other  stations.  More- 
over, these  were  conducted  upon  plants  which  were  grown  for  some 
purpose  other  than  the  direct  test  with  spraying  solutions,  and  lacked 
the  material  for  illustration  which  could  only  be  secured  by  operations 
carried  on  in  commercial  orchards.  Accordingly,  in  the  spring  of  1898, 
these  were  supplemented  by  a  thorough  set  of  experiments  carried  on 
for  the  most  part  in  several  acres  kindly  offered  for  the  purpose  by 
Mr.  H.  M.  Dunlap  of  Savoy.  These  experiments  were  inaugurated  for 
the  sole  purpose  of  furnishing  accurate  illustrations  of  what  could  be 
accomplished  in  Illinois  by  thorough  and  systematic  spraying,  and  by 
varying  degrees  of  thoroughness.  They  had  for  their  object  a  consid- 
eration of  the  best  methods  for  controlling  apple  scab  fungus,  codling- 
moth  and  scurfy  bark  louse.  The  latter  will  not  be  considered  in  the 
present  discussion.  For  the  sake  of  brevity  the  details  of  this  work  will 
be  omitted,  giving  only  the  results  obtained,  which  are  well  illustrated 
in  the  accompanying  plates. 

Applications  Made. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  both  the  apple  scab  fungus  and  the 
codling-moth  were  in  no  instance  treated  separately.  That  is  to  say, 
when  Paris  green  was  applied  for  the  sake  of  experimentation  in  con- 
trolling the  codling-moth,  it  was  done  only  in  connection  with  the  Bor- 
deaux mixture,  thereby  furnishing  a  like  experiment  for  the  scab.  This 
was  because  of  the  fact  that  it  is  no  longer  deemed  advisable  to  make 
separate  applications  for  these  two  pests,  since  one  is  entirely  sufficient 
and  the  time  and  labor  saved  by  combining  the  two  is  great. 

Trees  were  first  treated  with  the  copper  sulphate  solution  March  3 1  st, 
and  the  last  application  of  this  was  made  April  8th.  This  solution  was 
applied  in  varying  strengths  to  different  trees,  using  in  some  cases  one 
pound  to  fifteen  gallons  of  water,  while  in  others  one  pound  to  ten  gal- 
lons of  water  and  one  pound  to  five  gallons  of  water  was  tried.  A  care- 
ful examination  by  Mr.  Clinton,  Assistant  Botanist  of  this  Station,  made 
May  6th,  revealed  the  fact  that  trees  so  treated  had  a  much  smaller  per- 
centage of  scab  than  than  those  not  treated.  At  this  date  too  he  found 
that  the  trees  treated  with  the  strongest  solution  of  copper  sulphate  had 
very  little  or  no  scab  on  the  young  leaves,  while  in  the  case  of  the  one- 
to-ten  solution  they  were  not  so  free,  and  on  those  treated  with  the  one- 
to-fifteen  solution  there  was  considerable  scab  present.     These  stronger 


i899] 


SPRAYING    APPLE    TREES. 


189, 


Fig.   8,   p.    195. 


Fig.  9,   p.   195. 


190 


BULLETIN    NO.     54. 


[March, 


Fig.    10,    p.    195 


Fig.    11,   p.    195. 


1899-]  SPRAYING    APPLE    TREES.  191 

solutions  of  copper  sulphate  were  in  no  way  detrimental  to  the  trees;  but 
in  all  three  cases  the  effect  was  soon  lost  and  the  three  had  a  similar 
appearance  when  the  applications  were  not  followed  by  the  Bordeaux 
mixture. 

A  lime  wash  was  also  applied  to  several  trees  at  the  same  time,  and 
in  each  case  consisted  of  a  solution  of  2  lb.  quicklime  to  1  gal.  water,  or 
2  lb.  quicklime  to  1  and  y2  gallons  of  water.  Checks  were  left  in  each 
case,  and  an  examination  on  May  8th  showed  the  treated  trees  to  be 
practically  free  from  apple  scab:  yet  on  May  31st,  where  these  first  ap- 
plications were  not  followed  by  Bordeaux  mixture  the  trees  presented 
practically  the  same  appearance  as  the  untreated  ones,  as  regarded  the 
prevalency  of  the  scab. 

The  second  set  of  applications,  made  May  5th  and  6th,  consisted 
of  Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris  green,  in  the  proportion  given  in  the 
formula  on  page  203,  the  solutions  being  combined  and  both  applied  at 
once.  These  were  sprayed  on  trees  on  which  the  former  application 
had  been  made  and  on  trees  not  before  treated,  leaving  checks  in  each 
case.  A  photograph  of  trees  so  treated,  that  is,  with  but  one  applica- 
tion of  Bordeaux  mixture  before  blossoms  opened,  is  given  in  figure  5. 

The  third  application,  consisting  of  the  combined  mixtures  as  in 
the  second  application,  was  made  May  10th  and  nth,  after  blossoms 
had  fallen,  and  in  each  case  applying  it  to  trees  before  treated  and  to 
previously  untreated  trees.  Another  application  of  this  kind  was  made 
May  25th. 

The  accompanying  illustrations,  which  are  actual  photographs  taken 
of  these  trees  and  fruit,  show  better  than  any  written  proof  the  value  of 
the  application  of  fungicides  for  the  control  of  the  apple  scab,  if  not 
so  clearly  for  the  other  nuisance  above  referred  to. 

Description  of  Cuts. 

Figure  1,  p.  184,  shows  two  rows  of  apple  trees  treated  with  the 
second  and  third  applications  above  referred  to. 

Figure  2,  page  184,  is  a  good  illustration  of  trees  unsprayed  in  the 
adjoining  rows  to  Figure  1.  Both  photographs  were  taken  September  19th. 

Figure  3,  p.  184,  shows  average  specimens  collected  by  Mr.  Clinton 
June  14th.  Mr.  Clinton  had  no  knowledge  of  what  the  numbers  referred 
to  until  after  the  collections  were  made.  No.  1  shows  apples  from  trees 
treated  with  copper  sulphate  April  1st,  Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris 
green  May  3d,  10th  and  24th.  No.  2,  Bordeaux  and  Paris  green  May 
3d  and  10th.  No.  3,  Bordeaux  and  Paris  green  May  10th.  No.  4, 
copper  sulphate  April  1st.  No.  5,  unsprayed.  These  are  actual  repre- 
sentatives of  the  best  fruit  secured  by  one  entirely  unbiased  in  the  matter. 

Figure  4,  p.  186,  shows  trees  unsprayed.  Photograph  taken  Septem- 
ber 19th. 


192 


BULLETIN    NO.     54. 


[Miirc/i, 


, 

gNKMSf  jJrTlT^ti 

> 

1  ( 

Fig.  12,  p.  196. 


Fig.  13,  p.  200. 


i899] 


SPRAYING    FRUIT    TREES. 


'93 


Fig    14,  p   200. 


Fig.  15,  p.  200. 


'94 


BULLETIN    NO.     54. 


[March, 


c 
o 


— 

CUD 


1899-]  SPRAYING    MACHINERY.  I95 

Figure  5,  p.  186,  shows  three  trees  treated  with  one  application  of 
Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris  green  May  6th,  before  flower  buds  had 
expanded.      Photograph  taken  September  19th. 

Figure  6,  p.  187,  shows  two  trees  treated  with  copper  sulphate  April 
1  st,  two  applications  of  Bordeaux  mixture  and  Paris  green  May  3d  and 
10th,  before  and  after  blooming.      Photograph  taken  September   19th. 

Figure  7,  p.  187,  one  tree  in  foreground  treated  with  one  application 
of  copper  sulphate  April  1st.      Photograph  taken  September  19th. 

Figure  8,  page  189,  tree  treated  with  one  application  of  Bordeaux 
mixture  May  10th,  after  the  blossoms  had  fallen.  Photograph  taken 
September  19th. 

Figure  9,  page  189,  shows  Grimes  golden  trees  treated  with  one 
application  of  copper  sulphate  and  two  of  Bordeaux  mixture.  Photo- 
graph taken  October  1st. 

Figure  10,  page  190,  photograph  of  men  spraying  Ben  Davis  trees 
for  apple  scab  fungus  during  the  latter  part  of  June.  Shows  the  difficul- 
ties which  are  often  met  with.  It  is  an  illustration  too  which  serves  to 
force  upon  our  minds  the  fact  that  the  spraying  and  pruning  of  apple 
trees  are  two  very  closely  related  subjects.  If  the  trees  are  not  reason- 
ably open  so  as  to  admit  a  free  circulation  of  light  and  air  the  tree  top 
will  furnish  an  excellent  breeding  place  for  fungous  diseases,  and  when 
once  started  the  latter  are  impossible  to  get  at  with  spraying  solutions. 
It  is  almost  impossible  to  spray  such  trees  to  advantage,  and  the  amount 
of  material  necessary  in  such  cases,  together  with  time  and  expense, 
makes  the  matter  of  pruning  a  necessity. 

Figure  n,  page  190,  shows  specimens  of  the  best  apples  from  trees 
treated  as  follows:  No.  1,  sprayed  with  copper  sulphate  and  three  appli- 
cations of  Bordeaux  mixture;  No.  2,  two  applications  of  Bordeaux 
mixture — before  and  after  blossoms  appeared;   No.  3,  unsprayed. 

Spraying  Machinery. 

We  are  constantly  asked  to  give  information  regarding  the  best 
spray  pumps  and  other  appliances  necessary  for  spraying;  and  for  this 
reason  the  Station  has  been  making  a  thorough  test  of  machines  sold  by 
a  few  of  the  leading  manufacturers.  In  looking  over  the  machinery  so 
far  experimented  with  we  have  learned  that  the  purchaser  should  bear  in 
mind  that  the  money  invested  in  a  pump  is  practically  lost  should  the 
machine  last  no  longer  than  one  season.  He  wants  a  machine  that  is 
durable;  one  that  will  give  the  greatest  force  with  the  least  power;  and  one 
that  will  be  within  reach  of  his  purse.  The  cheap  iron  pumps  are  rarely 
long-lived,  and  are  usually  wholly  unfit  for  spraying  purposes.  They 
will  not  stand  the  work,  are  too  easily  broken,  or  are  destroyed  by  the 
action  of  copper  sulphate.  The  desirable  points  in  a  pump  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows: 


I96  BULLETIN    NO.     54.  [March,  ' 

All  working  parts  should  be  made  of  brass.  There  should  be  no 
leather  or  rubber  valves.  There  should  be  no  stuffing-box,  nor  should 
the  parts  be  fastened  together  with  iron  bolts  or  screws.  In  fact,  the 
brass  or  alloy  pumps  are  in  the  end  the  cheapest,  since  they  are  in 
every  way  more  durable,  and  are  not  corroded  by  the  liquids  used  or 
by  simple  exposure.  A  pump  that  stands  above  the  barrel  or  that  has 
any  projection  whatever  is  unsteady,  especially  when  there  is  little 
solution  in  the  barrel;  and  moreover  it  is  likely  to  catch  on  the  limbs 
and  be  a  nuisance  generally. 

Figure  17,  p.  197,  shows  the  Eclipse  pump  manufactured  by  Morrill 
&  Morley,  of  Benton  Harbor,  Mich.  It  is,  according  to  our  experience 
here,  an  ideal  pump  in  all  respects.  All  parts  that  come  in  contact 
with  the  liquid  are  brass,  and  there  is  no  stuffing-box.  The  agitator, 
too,  as  seen  in  the  cut,  consists  of  a  brass  blade,  and  is  a  satisfactory 
means  of  agitating  the  liquid.      List  price,  $10  to  $18. 

The  Pomona  pump  (fig.  18,  p.  197),  made  by  the  Goulds  Mfg.  Com- 
pany, of  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.  (Chicago  Office,  22-24  N.  Canal  St.)  is  in 
most  respects  similar  to  the  Eclipse,  with  the  exceptions  which  can  be 
seen  by  comparing  the  cuts.  This  is  a  pump  which  we  can  highly 
recommend,  and  which  is  listed  at  from  $10  to  $20.  Figure  23  shows 
a  good  mechanical  agitator  which  is  on  the  market  by  the  above  named 
company  and  also  by  Wm.  Stahl  of  Quincy,  111.  Mr.  Stahl  also  has 
the  "Excelsior  spray  outfit  No.  22,"  which  is  similar  to  the  Pomona, 
and  is  also  recommended. 

The  Advance  Spray  pump  (fig.  27,  p.  199),  manufactured  by  the 
Deming  Company  of  Salem,  Ohio,  and  for  sale  in  Illinois  by  their 
Agents,  Messrs.  Henion  &  Hubbell,  61  N.  Jefferson  St.,  Chicago,  is  in 
every  way  an  admirable  machine,  and  is  well  spoken  of  by  those  experi- 
ment stations  that  have  made  a  thorough  test  of  it.  The  list  price  of 
this  machine  is  $18. 

The  Kerowater  pump  (fig.  19,  p.  198),  for  the  mechanical  mixture 
of  water  and  kerosene  oil,  is  one  of  the  leading  machines  of  its  kind 
on  the  market,  and  is  made  by  the  Goulds  Mfg.  Co.,  already  referred 
to  as  the  makers  of  the  Pomona  pump.  List  price,  $14  to  $18.50. 
The  Peerless  kerosene  sprayer  (fig.  26,  p.  199),  made  by  the  Deming 
Company,  for  the  same  purpose,  js  also  an  excellent  machine.  Its  list 
price  is  $26  to  $35. 

Figure  12,  p.  192,  shows  a  handy  arrangement  for  spraying  pur- 
poses, and  one  that  can  be  fixed  up  by  almost  any  one.  It  consists  of 
three  barrels  of  a  capacity  of  fifty  gallons  each,  connected  by  hose  and 
galvanized  iron  pipes  fitted  with  stop  cocks.  These  stop  cocks  enable 
the  barrels  to  be  separated  at  will,  thus  carrying  three  different  solutions 
at  one  time,  or  allows  the  mixtures  to  drain  from  one  barrel  to  another. 


i899.] 


SPRAYING    MACHINERY. 


I97 


i98 


BULLETIN    NO.     54. 


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i899] 


SPRAYING    MACHINERY. 


99 


Fig.  24,  p.  201. 


Fig.  25,  p.  201. 


Fig    26,  p.  196. 


Fig.  27,  p.  196. 


200  BULLETIN    NO.     54.  [Marc/l, 

All  can  be  drained  dry,  especially  if  the  front  wheels  of  the  wagon  are 
allowed  to  stand  for  a  few  minutes  in  a  slight  depression  of  the  ground. 
The  pump  used  here  is  the  Eclipse  seen  at  fig.  17,  p.  197.  The  truck  is 
the  Farmer's  Handy  Wagon,  manufactured  by  the  Farmer's  Handy 
Wagon  Co.,  of  Saginaw,  E.  S.,  Michigan.  The  low  wheels  of  this 
wagon  together  with  the  one  agitator  give  sufficient  motion  to  the  wagon 
to  keep  the  solutions  agitated.  Otherwise  the  second  and  third  barrels 
should  each  be  fitted  with  an  agitator  as  seen  in  fig.  23,  p.  198. 

•  Fig.  13.  p.  192,  shows  the  three  barrels  and  their  couplings,  together 
with  hose  and  bamboo  extensions  at  nearer  range.  Fig.  14,  p.  193,  is 
the  Eclipse  pump  mounted  on  an  Eclipse  special  tank  manufactured 
by  Morrill  &  Morley,  Benton  Harbor,  Mich.  This  tank  is  sufficient  to 
hold  250  gallons,  and  as  seen  in  the  figure  is  mounted  on  a  Farmer's 
Handy  Wagon.    This  is  the  machine  used  by  Mr.  H.  M.  Dunlap,  of  Savoy. 

Fig.  15,  p.  193,  shows  the  apparatus  and  one  barrel  seen  in  figures 

12  and  13  mounted  on  a  cart  made  from  two  wheels  from  an  old  seed 

t  drill  provided  with  axle  platform  and  shafts.     This  can  be  made  by  any 

fruit  grower  for  himself,  and  is  a  very  serviceable  outfit,  not  only  for 

orchards  but  for  other  fruits  as  well. 

Fig.  16,  p.  194,  shows  the  following  nozzles  and  other  appliances: 

Xo.  1.      Double  Vermorel  nozzle  (showing  side). 

No.  2.  "  "  "       (       "         end). 

No.  3.  "  "  "       on  bamboo  extension. 

No.  4.      Shut-off  on  bamboo. 

No.  5.      Inner  and  outer  views  of  reducing  caps  for  Vermorels. 

No.  6.      Vermorel  nozzle  attached  to  brass  extension  rod. 

These  Vermorels,  all  things  considered,  are  the  best  of  all  nozzles. 
They  throw  a  double,  round,  misty  spray,  and  are  provided  with  lances 
for  cleaning  should  they  become  clogged.  This  cleaning  is  done  by 
tapping  the  lance  on  a  limb.  They  should  always  be  mounted  on  a 
bamboo  extension  pole,  since  the  spray  does  not  reach  any  great  dis- 
tance. Figs.  20  and  22,  p.  198,  show  two  styles  of  the  double  Vermorel 
nozzle.      Fig.  21,  p.  198,  shows  a  single  Vermorel  nozzle. 

No.  7  shows  a  McGowen  nozzle,  which  is  one  of  the  very  best 
nozzles  manufactured,  and  is  made  by  John  G.  McGowen,  of  Ithaca, 
N.  Y.  It  is  provided  with  a  piston  which  is  easily  regulated  by  spring, 
and  is  in  no  danger  of  becoming  clogged  as  will  sometimes  happen  with 
the  Vermorel.      It  has  also  a  greater  carrying  power  than  the  Vermorel. 

No.  8.     A  Gem  nozzle,  not  so  good  as  the  former. 

Nos.  9  and  10  show  the  Calla  nozzle,  which  has  a  great  carrying 
power,  and  is  also  quite  reliable,  but  is  not  considered  so  good  as  either 
the  Vermorel  or  McGowen. 

No.  li,  is  the  Fuller  nozzle,  which  has  a  greater  carrying  power 
than  any  other  make,  but  is  too  wasteful  of  material  to  be  recommended. 


1899]  SPRAYING    MACHINERY. 


20I 


No.  12,  shows  the  pliers  used  for  putting  in  place  the  brass  hose 
coupling  No.  13. 

No.  14.  Iron  couplers  to  which  the  hose  is  attached  when  a  coup- 
ling is  desired. 

No.  15.  A  pair  of  pipe  tongs,  which  are  very  serviceable  for  tight- 
ening hose  couplings,  especially  where  the  union  is  made  to  the  pump. 

No.  16.  Two  reducers,  used  for  attaching  either  ^  or  ^  in.  nozzle 
to  hose  or  rod. 

No.  17.  Two  views  of  a  very  handy  and  easily  adjusted  hose 
clamp. 

No.  18.  Plug  used  when  one  attachment  only  of  hose  to  pump  is 
desired. 

Fig.  24,  p.  199,  shows  the  Success  kerosene  sprayer,  manufactured  by 
the  Deming  Company,  Salem,  O.,  and  is  a  very  serviceable  pump  for 
kerosene  and  water  when  treating  small  trees  infested  with  scale  insects. 
Price  $10.00. 

Fig.  25,  p.  199,  shows  the  copper  strainer,  12  in.  in  diameter  with 
brass  wire  cloth  mesh,  manufactured  by  Morrill  &  Morley,  Benton  Har- 
bor, Mich.  Price,  $1.50.  This  is  one  of  the  indispensable  pieces  of 
apparatus  used  in  connection  with  spraying.  Burlap  or  other  cloth 
strainers  should  not  be  depended  upon  for  straining  Bordeaux  mixture, 
since  lint  is  almost  sure  to  get  into  the  solution  and  clog  the  nozzle. 

The  bamboo  extensions,  such  as  are  seen  in  Fig.  13,  p.  192,  are  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  the  nozzle  up  into  the  tops  of  the  trees,  thereby 
ensuring  a  more  thorough  job  than  could  be  otherwise  done.  These  are 
lined  with  copper  tubing,  which  makes  them  durable,  and  are  in  every 
way  a  satisfactory  and  quite  indispensable  acquisition  to  spraying  appa- 
ratus. 

In  regard  to  hose.  We  find  that  the  y%  in.  rubber  tubing  is  in  every 
way  the  most  satisfactory  hose  to  use,  on  account  of  its  lightness  and 
durability.  It  can  be  procured  for  six  cents  a  foot  from  most  dealers. 
The  %  in.  hose  as  seen  in  Fig.  13,  p.  192,  is  too  heavy  for  ordinary  use, 
but  is  the  most  durable,  especially  when  wrapped  with  wire  as  seen  in 
the  cut.  Another  objection  to  this  hose  is  the  fact  that  that  found  on 
the  market  for  less  than  12  to  20  cents  per  foot  is  too  short-lived  to  be 
recommended.  The  cheaper  grades  of  hose  should  never  be  purchased 
for  spraying  purposes,  as  they  will  prove  the  more  expensive  in  the  long 
run. 

Spraying  Solutions. 

A. 
For    controlling   insects  which    chew   their   food,  such  as  the  codling- 
moth,    canker-worm,   bud-moth,   case-bearer    and  tent  caterpillar, 

use  the  following: 


202  BULLETIN    NO.     54.  [March, 

i. — Paris  green,  i  lb.;   150-250  gallons  of  water. 

Never  put  the  dry  Paris  green  powder  into  a  quantity  of  water  ex- 
pecting thoroughly  to  mix  it  therein.  Put  say  one  pound  into  a  gallon 
jug,  then  fill  the  same  two-thirds  full  of  water.  Cork  and  churn  vio- 
lently for  a  few  moments,  when  every  part  of  the  powder  will  be  in  con- 
tact with  water.  Add  this  concentrated  solution  in  such  proportion  as 
to  give  the  desired  amount  to  the  larger  quantity  of  liquid,  with  which 
it  will  readily  and  thoroughly  mix. 
2. — London  purple,  1  lb.;   150-250  gallons  of  water. 

Prepare  same  as  above.  We  prefer  Paris  green,  because  it  is  less 
variable  in  composition  than  the  London  purple,  and  also  less  caustic 
in  its  action. 

B. 
For  controlling  such  insects  as  the  woolly  aphis,  plant  louse,  oyster- 
shell  bark  louse,  scurfy  bark  louse,  and  San  Jose  scale,  all  of  which 

are  sucking  insects,  use  the  following: 
1. — Kerosene  emulsion. 

This  solution  is  made  by  dissolving  y2  lb.  of  hard  soap  in  one  gallon 
of  hot  water,  and  to  this  adding  two  gallons  of  kerosene  oil.  Emulsify 
thoroughly  by  driving  this  solution  repeatedly  through  a  force  pump  or 
any  spray  pump  back  into  the  vessel  originally  containing  it.  Dilute  each 
gallon  of  this  emulsion  with  15  to  30  gallons  of  water  for  the  aphides 
and  plant  lice  above  referred  to.  For  San  Jose  scale  dilute  each  gallon 
with  five  gallons  of  water  and  apply  on  the  dormant  wood  only.  For 
oyster-shell  bark  louse  and  scurfy  bark  louse,  in  making  application 
after  leaves  of  tree  have  expanded,  use  the  dilute  solution,  or  when 
treating  dormant  trees,  use  the  concentrated  solution  as  in  the  case  of 
the  San  Jose  scale. 
2. — Kerosene  and  water  applied  by  means  of  the   "  Kerowater  "  pump 

(fig.  19,  p.  198),   or  "Peerless  Kerosene  Sprayer"  (fig.  26,  p.  199). 

For  the  scale  insects  above  described  use  a  30  per  cent,  to  40  per 
cent,  mixture  when  applying  to  dormant  wood.  After  leaves  have 
expanded  use  from  a  5  per  cent,  to  10  per  cent,  mixture.  A  50  per  cent, 
mixture  of  kerosene  and  water  may  be  applied  with  impunity  to  apple 
trees.  Although  there  has  been  some  difference  of  opinion  in  regard 
to  the  use  of  strong  mixtures  of  kerosene  and  water  on  fruit  trees,  it  is 
now  a  settled  fact  that  pure  kerosene  alone  may  be  sprayed  and  brushed 
on  the  limbs  and  trunks  of  apple  trees  during  dry  days  without  any  injury 
whatever.  We  have  repeatedly  made  such  applications,  not  only  to 
apple  but  also  to  pear  trees.  This  mixture,  however,  should  be  used 
with  caution,  and  preferably  during  weather  when  evaporation  takes 
place  rapidly.  Especial  care  should  be  used  in  applying  kerosene  and 
water  to  peach  trees,  as,  when  used  on  them,  many  disastrous  results 
have  been  reported. 


1899-]  SPRAYING    SOLUTIONS.  203 

3. — Whale  oil  soap,  2  lb.  to  one  gallon  water. 

This  solution  is  in  high  favor  for  the  control  of  the  San  Jose  and 
other  scale  insects. 

C. 

For  controlling  fungous   diseases,    such   as   apple  scab,    rot,    rust    and 

mildews,  use  the  following: 
1. — Copper   sulphate,  1    lb.    to    15    gallons  of  water.     To   be  used  on 

dormant  wood  only. 

The  object  of  this  solution  is  to  kill  the  spores  of  the  apple  scab 
fungus  and  of  other  diseases  which  may  be  present  before  the  buds  ex- 
pand. Put  the  desired  quantity  of  copper  sulphate  in  a  coarse  bag  and 
suspend  it  in  the  water  near  the  surface.  In  a  few  hours  the  sulphate 
will  be  entirely  dissolved.  A  more  expeditious  method,  should  a  stock 
solution  not  be  desired,  is  to  dissolve  the  required  quantity  of  sulphate 
in  hot  water. 

2. — Bordeaux  mixture.      6   lb.  copper  sulphate,   4   to   6  lb.   quicklime, 

50  gallons  water. 

Dissolve  the  copper  sulphate  in  the  manner  described  under  1: 
slack  the  desired  quantity  of  lime  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water;  then 
mix  the  two  solutions,  carefully  strain  through  the  wire  sieve  (fig.  25), 
and  to  this  add  water  to  make  quantity  given  above.  This  is  one  of  the 
best  fungicides,  and  rarely  will  it  be  found  to  injure  foliage.  Should  it 
do  so,  however,  add  a  greater  quantity  of  lime,  which  will  lessen  the 
the  caustic  effect  of  the  copper  sulphate.  It  is  a  solution,  however, 
which  stains  fruit,  and,  consequently,  later  in  the  season  the  following 
mixture  is  in  high  favor. 
3 — Ammoniacal  carbonate  of   copper   solution.      Copper   carbonate,    1 

oz. ;  enough  ammonia  to  dissolve  the  copper  carbonate;  9  gallons 

water. 

Before  making  the  solution,  the  ammonia  should  be  prepared  as 
follows:  dilute  the  ammonia  with  7  or  8  volumes  of  water,  using  am- 
monia of  about  26  per  cent,  strength.  Gradually  add  this  to  the 
copper  carbonate  until  the  latter  is  entirely  dissolved. 

D.      Stock  solutions. 

Where  a  great  deal  of  spraying  is  to  be  done  it  is  often  more  con- 
venient to  keep  stock  solutions  of  copper  sulphate  and  lime  on  hand 
for  the  more  expeditious  preparation  of  the  spraying  mixtures  when 
wanted.     They  may  be  prepared  in  the  following  manner: 

Lime: — Keep  the  lime  in  a  barrel  partially  sunk  in  the  ground, 
where  it  will  keep  indefinitely  in  the  form  of  paste  if  the  surface  is  kept 
covered  with  water. 

Copper  sulphate: — Dissolve  the  copper  sulphate  in  water,  two 
pounds  of  copper  sulphate  to  one  gallon  of  water.     Two  gallons  of  the 


204  bulletin  no.    54.  [March,  1899. 

solution  then  will  contain  the  required  amount  of  copper  sulphate  for  a 
barrel  of  Bordeaux  mixture. 

E.      Cautions. 

Be  sure  you  know  what  you  want  to  spray  for  before  commencing 
the  operation.  Be  prompt:  be  thorough:  be  persistent.  Use  fresh 
Bordeaux  mixture,  and  not  that  which  has  been  standing  for  some  time 
after  mixing.  Keep  the  ammonia  and  copper  carbonate  mixture  in 
glass-stoppered  bottles,  thoroughly  corked,  when  not  needed. 

Joseph  Cullen  Blair, 

Assistant  Horticulturist. 


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